Revealed: No surprises atop US Open seedings

SERENA Williams has been seeded 17th at this year's US Open one place below her sister Venus.

Serena, who finished runner-up at Wimbledon this year after losing to Germany's Angelique Kerber in the final, is ranked world No. 26 in the world, nine places below the seeding she has been awarded.

The current WTA rankings are the usual criteria to decide seeding in the women's draw.

Williams, who has won the US Open six times and will turn 37 next month, missed last year's tournament because of pregnancy.

In June, United States Tennis Association president Katrina Adams said the US Open would revise seedings to take into account the effect of pregnancy on the current rankings of players.

Adams' comments came in the wake of widespread criticism of tennis officials after Serena was denied a seeding at this year's French Open, her first grand slam after returning to the sport.

Romanian Simona Halep is the top seed in the women's draw with defending champion Sloane Stephens at number three, ahead of Kerber, who won at Flushing Meadows in 2016.

There were no surprises on the men's side with world number one and defending champion Rafa Nadal named top seed, ahead of Roger Federer and Argentine Juan Martin del Porto in third.

Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic, who heads to Flushing Meadows in arguably his best form since returning from a troublesome elbow injury, is seeded sixth, a place below big-serving South African Kevin Anderson.

John Isner is the highest-seeded American in the men's draw at number 11.

Australia's No. 1 Ashleigh Barty has been named 18th seed at this year's US Open.

The US Tennis Association says the world No. 13 will be joined by her compatriot Daria Gavrilova, who was named 26th seed at the grand slam. The only seeded Australian on the men's side of the draw will be 30th seed Nick Kyrgios.